Chris Wood of New Zealand. Photo / Photosport.co.nz
Chris Wood of New Zealand. Photo / Photosport.co.nz
The All Whites will have to negotiate two World Cup qualifying games outside the official FIFA window next March.
The final piece of New Zealand's potential World Cup pathway was confirmed on Monday night, with the format of the Oceania qualifying tournament in Qatar unveiled.
It will involve three round robin group games, before a semi final and final, spread across 15 days, not including preparation time.
In practical terms it means a commitment of almost three weeks, with the first group match scheduled for March 16th and the final set for March 30th.
The international window, when clubs are mandated to release players, runs from the March 21 to March 29.
OFC had applied to FIFA for an eight day extension, given the extraordinary circumstances that had been posed by Covid, which would have covered most of the tournament.
But the Herald understands their request was blocked by the European clubs, given the importance of that stage of the season, though FIFA has agreed to a one day extension, taking in the final on March 30.
It means the All Whites are unlikely to have many of their best players available for at least the first two matches. As an example, Chris Wood's Burnley have games on the 12th and 19th March, while Sarpeet Singh's German club provisionally have matches scheduled for the 13th and 20th March.
It's believed New Zealand Football pushed for a straight knockout tournament (quarter final, semi final and final), which could have been accommodated within the existing window, but that was rejected by the majority of other Oceania nations, who were reluctant to make the long and expensive journey to Qatar with the prospect of only one match.
Niko Kirwan celebrates his goal with Chris Wood. Photo / Photosport.co.nz
The situation will create a headache for All Whites' coach Danny Hay, who will be reliant on the goodwill of clubs to secure players for the first part of the tournament.
It could see a scenario where the All Whites use one set of personnel for the first two or three games, then have a new – or significantly changed - squad for the knockout stages, should they progress, as reinforcements arrive.
Such an unusual move will be possible under the tournament regulations. Instead of a strict 23-man squad, the Herald understands countries will be able to bring players in at any stage of the tournament, an amendment that has been agreed given the extraordinary circumstances of the event.
It will be a demanding schedule, with only two rest days between the last group games and the semi-final, then the same interval before the final.
The All Whites (world No 110) were placed in Group B during the draw on Tuesday morning, which looked the marginally harder pool.
They will face New Caledonia (153), Fiji (161) and Papua New Guinea (164).
Group A features Solomon Islands (141), Tahiti (159), Vanuatu (163) and the winner of a qualifying playoff between Tonga (199) and Cook Islands (no ranking).
The top two teams in each group will progress to the semi final. New Zealand will still be strongly favoured, but the unprecedented circumstances of the tournament may bring them closer to the pack, given the other nations will have full strength teams and longer buildups.
OFC World Cup qualifying tournament, proposed schedule
Group A, match 1: March 16th Group B, match 1: March 17th Group A, match 2: March 20th Group B, match 2: March 21st Group A & B match 3: March 24th Semi-finals: March 27th Final: March 30th
